That's because no one puts a determined mettle to the BMX pedal better than Niwot High School freshman Collin Hudson.

Last year in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, Hudson won a UCI BMX world championship as a 13-year-old phenom.

This past July, Hudson successfully defended his world championship, winning two Union Cycliste Internationale titles in Copenhagen as a 14-year-old.

"Being able to say your son is the world champion is quite a remarkable and humbling thing," proud father Bill Hudson said.

"He has taken a gift from God and added in a lot of hard work, discipline and maturity to achieve his success."

Despite that success on the world stage, there was still something that had eluded the Crupi team rider from Longmont — something he had spent "six years of chasing."

On Nov. 27, Hudson was finally able to parlay his competitive qualities into the one title that had evaded him — winning at the ABA Grand Nationals in Tulsa, Okla.

"It's bigger than worlds to me because I've never won it," Hudson said. "And it was the only thing I've ever wanted to win more than worlds. So, to finally get the win, it was like the coolest feeling ever. Just knowing that I've worked for it for six years just made it so much better."

It is for that perseverance, dedication and impressive athletic achievement, Hudson has been selected as The Denver Post Youth Excellence in Sports winner for November.

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Hudson's victory at the QuikTrip Center didn't come easily. He started from the outside gate while his most formidable rival, Walker Finch of Fort Collins, drew the inside No. 1 position.

"Coming into the final corner, I had the outside on him, and I did what they call a 'high-low,' " Hudson recalled. "You let the other rider go high and you swoop down under them. You come off the corner with more momentum than them — and it worked.

"I barely got past him down the last straight. We were kind of bumping bars down the last straight and I pulled ahead by about a bike and a half and ended up with a win. It was a crazy race."

In contention

CHERRY CREEK BRUINS

Coach Geoff Lawton's football team of 13-year-olds enjoyed a memorable season, but it is what the Bruins did off the field that will long be remembered. Through their "Points for Pledges" program, the Bruins raised nearly $1,700 to support Colorado cancer patients through The Raymond Wentz Foundation.

ROBERT BURGER

The eighth-grader at Shadow Ridge Middle School defeated Nahuel Sosa of Argentina to win the gold medal among 13- and 14-year-old competitors at the South American Judo Championships on Nov. 25, one day after winning a bronze medal at the Pan Am Infantile Judo Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

DC DOLPHINS

After concluding the AYL season with a playoff loss to the Parker Hawks, coach Kent Lansville took his team of 8-year-old football players to face a field of 9-year-olds in Las Vegas. The Dolphins rolled past two California teams to win the National Youth Football League Pigskin Tournament.

DU JUNIOR PIONEERS

The Pee Wee Double-A hockey team, coached by John Kopperud, defeated the Boulder Bison 5-1 to win the Avalanche Quebec qualifier tournament at the Pepsi Center on Nov. 14. Next up was a title in the Littleton Thanksgiving Tournament. It was a fitting ending for a tournament dedicated to defenseman Colby Bukes' mother, Debbie, who is battling breast cancer.

NICHOLAS LORENZ

The 10-year-old from Colorado Springs defeated Richter Jordaan of Denver 6-1, 6-3 to win the boys 12 singles crown, then teamed with Jordaan to defeat a Utah duo 8-3 in the doubles final at the Intermountain Tennis Association Great Pumpkin sectional championships Nov. 15 in Las Vegas.

Nominations

Know a top athlete? Youth Excellence in Sports honors those 17 or younger who have excelled in any athletic endeavor unaffiliated with the Colorado High School Activities Association. To submit your choice for the top individual or team achievement that occurred during December, visit denverpost.com/youthsports for an online form or fax a brief description of the achievement to 303-866-9004 (Attention: "Youth Excellence"). Pictures of the monthly winners go on display at the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

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